


To Calm Down A Shadowhunter

by plead_guilty_but_insane



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Emotions, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Understanding Magnus, alec is angry and confused and hurt, and magnus comforts him
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-25
Updated: 2016-05-25
Packaged: 2018-06-10 15:24:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6962422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/plead_guilty_but_insane/pseuds/plead_guilty_but_insane
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Magnus took in the Shadowhunter’s dark circles, stormy eyes and dirty clothes. Almost all of his runes were fresh and the stamina rune was still burning away. The warlock didn’t want to know how many times Alec had repeatedly drawn that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	To Calm Down A Shadowhunter

The door to their house slammed shut, and Magnus looked up from the spell book he was sifting through. Heavy boots thudded against the floor and Magnus’ lips pressed together.

“Alexander?” he called out.

A tall, lanky figure crowded the door frame and Magnus took in the Shadowhunter’s dark circles, stormy eyes and dirty clothes. Almost all of his runes were fresh and the _stamina_ rune was still burning away. The warlock didn’t want to know how many times Alec had repeatedly drawn that.

“Go take a bath, darling, dinner’s almost ready.”

Alec looked at Magnus with an unreadable expression, and after quickly dropping a kiss on Magnus’ spiky hair, shuffled away to do as he was told.

Magnus heard the shower turn on and allowed his expression to sink into a frown. So it was going to be one of those days. Alec was always overworked by the Clave and rarely showed it, so tonight must have really struck a nerve with the young Shadowhunter. Whatever happened, he had to ensure that Alec didn’t go to sleep angry.

 

\---

Magnus had already placed plates of tandoori rice at the table and was having a deep conversation with Chairman Meow when Alec finally showed up, towel draped over his hair, movements sluggish.

“So, how was work today?” Magnus asked, walking over to his seat at the table. Alec sat down heavily, shoving his fingers in his hands.

“It was horrible,” he began, “The damned Clave was being irrational and heartless as usual, and of course there was nothing I can do-”

Magnus cut off his rant by pressing his lips to Alec’s. The Shadowhunter’s hands dropped to the table, and his lips parted in surprise.

“Magnus?”

“Alexander, I’m sure the Clave had its reasons for acting the way it did. It’s a very powerful authority; it has to represent all the Shadowhunters remember?”

They began eating and Alec shot Magnus a suspicious glance. “But you hate the Clave.”

“I factor emotions into my work, Alexander,” Magnus said lightly. “Those are two completely different work ethics, that’s all. Now let’s finish dinner, there’s this movie I want to watch.”

 

\-------

Once they were seated on the couch and the opening was playing, Magnus turned to Alec.

“Okay, what did the Clave do?”

Alec let out an exhale. “We had to check out the lair of some Downworlder,” he began. “And by the time we scouted the place out we confirmed that they were conducting illegal tests on Downworlder children by trying to tamper with their DNA. They did manage to get a pretty fail proof plan, and word began spreading which was how we even found out about it. So we were asked to rescue these children before they could be experimented on.”

By this time Alec had rested his head in the crook of Magnus’ neck as the two lay down on the couch. Magnus was lazily combing through Alec’s hair with his fingers, quietly listening.

“We did manage to save five of them, but it turned out that we were too late. Two of the children had already gone under the knife, DNA changed forever, and were located in one of the strongest cells that place had. We didn’t know what to do, because the building was about to auto destruct. I was ready to go and find the kids, but then the Clave intervened, and they… Magnus, they told us to just torch the whole place.”

Alec looked up at Magnus. The warlock wasn’t meeting his eye, and was still silent, so he continued.

“Eventually we escaped with the kids that were unharmed by the Downworlders, but those two didn’t make it. How could the Clave do that, Magnus?,” Alec’s voice broke. “By the angel, they were just children…”

“Look, Alexander,” Magnus began. His eyes were still fixated on the ceiling, unwilling to meet the piercing blue ones staring at him which were glazed over with tears.

“Pretend you did save those two kids. They’re basically mutants, and after a certain time span the Clave will probably stop babysitting them and leave them to fend for themselves. Who would take them in? They’re abnormal, and it’s a fact that people can’t handle things they’re not used to. Society would be cruel to them. Their lives would be hell.”

“Surely someone would take them in, despite their mutant qualities-” Alec began, and faltered when Magnus’ cat eyes stared back at him.

“No, Alexander.” He said in a low voice, “People do not take kindly to that they cannot comprehend. I would know, trust me.” Alec stared at Magnus, resting his chin on the other’s sternum so he could get a good look at Magnus’ face. This was a hard thing to talk about, Alec realized, and Magnus had dug it up for him. He was about to open his mouth to say something when Magnus began speaking.

“Also, by the looks of it, you would have probably died if that building had self-destructed and you were still looking for the kids. I’m not going to bring my emotions into this, but I’m pretty sure the Clave values its best fighter and archer.”

“Magnus, I’m sorry, I should have-”

“No, Alexander, don’t ever apologize for that. You’re a Shadowhunter, it’s what you do. I know you’re proud of who you are. Never regret what you’re doing, alright?”

Alec studied Magnus in silence, saying nothing until the warlock eventually met his eyes. He tried to pour all the emotions he was feeling into his gaze before pressing his lips directly above Magnus’ heart.

“Thank you, Magnus. I love you.”

“I love you too, Alexander.”

 

The two sat in silence in each other’s arms until the ending credits rolled.

**Author's Note:**

> Big rant here!!
> 
> Thank you so much for the positive reviews on [ To Piss Off A Warlock ](http://archiveofourown.org/works/6918862)! I have thus been inspired to write another fic where Alec is angry/ sad/ hurt and Magnus comforts him~ (as usual the title sucks so I apologise)  
> Also! Pro tip! Kids, try to avoid going to sleep angry with someone or having unresolved conflict, okay? It really sucks :c
> 
> I hc that while Magnus is all flamboyant and flirty and sparkly he has some top notch interpersonal and intrapersonal skills because he's so damn old, I'm sure his interactions with all kinds of beings must have taught him something. Also, that Magnus is a very mature and deep character who is willing to look at the other side of things, no matter how dark it is, and how he doesn't dismiss an opinion or an action just because 'it isn't morally right' which is something I hope I do myself~  
> I also believe that Magnus (and perhaps Izzy) are fully capable of comforting Alec and easily detecting when he's hurt or hiding his feelings (and we all know that Alec's personal motto is Conceal Don't Feel) 
> 
> Just another reminder that I have only watched the series and don't plan on reading the books, so while these HCs may or may not be true as of now they are mine and are not canon compliant as far as the books are concerned.
> 
> HMU on tumblr @ plead-guilty-but-insane!
> 
> Kudos, comments and the likes are mucho appreciated~


End file.
